


And So Our Story Begins

by love_in_the_stars



Series: Avenger's Dogma [1]
Category: Dragon's Dogma, The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types
Genre: Arisen!Tony, Dragon's Dogma AU, M/M, Oblivious!Tony, Patient!Steve, Pawn!Steve, as always
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-09-10
Updated: 2013-09-10
Packaged: 2017-12-26 04:32:04
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,522
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/961604
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/love_in_the_stars/pseuds/love_in_the_stars
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>To be truthful, most would probably consider being attacked by a dragon and having their heart stolen by said beast to be the most horrible thing that could happen to them. For Tony, it was actually the most interesting. Though, to be fair, the missing heart was rather disturbing. Besides, if it hadn’t happened Tony would never have met Steve and that was well worth it to him.</p>
            </blockquote>





	And So Our Story Begins

**Author's Note:**

> I started playing Dragon's Dogma and made my Arisen look like Tony and the pawn look like Steve...ever since I've been struck by Fusion/AU ideas every time I play the game. It has birthed this series as a result.

Tony’s first pawn was named Ho Yinsen and he died not long after getting the confused and newly Arisen to the Encampment. That cyclops had taken the lives of many a soldier and pawn that day but Ho Yinsen had been a keen loss to Tony. The so called ‘pawn’ that he met in his hometown had been the only reason he made it that far in the first place and Tony felt no small amount of guilt in being unable to bring him back. Whether it was because Tony was too new of an Arisen or if there was some other malice preventing him from reviving his pawn, he did not know. All Tony knew was that the next time he stepped in the rift he tried to summon Ho Yinsen and it did not work.

Instead, in that sea of pawns, only one other stood out to him and shone with brilliance. Steve, the one destined to be his main pawn. Tony felt the connection at once and wasted no time summoning the pawn to his side once he accepted that Ho Yinsen was just out of his reach. And not once did Tony ever regret his choice. Not seriously, anyway.

Sure, Steve could be...vexing but Tony was pretty sure that was mostly due to the strangeness inherent in pawns and not a result of any flaw in Steve himself. After all, as fighter pawn, Steve was quite skilled in combat. He used his shield as a weapon as often as he did his sword and he was always a whirlwind of destruction amid foes.

Between Steve’s skills and Tony’s own attributes as a ranger, they rarely had problems in fights and any issues they found that proved too much for them alone were often fixed by the aid of a mage pawn, borrowed for a short time. Besides, Steve’s calm logic and sense could keep Tony in line on the times he was distracted by weapon augments or particularly interesting landscapes that were not necessarily a safe place to stop and explore.

And while Steve could be a bit over-protective,

_“This path is quite narrow, Arisen. Do be careful.”_

_“I hadn’t noticed, Steve, thank you.”_

_“Of course.”_

_…_

_“A fall from this height would be sure death. Take care to avoid the edge of the cliffs, Master.”_

_“Good idea. Can’t believe I didn’t think of that.”_

_…_

_“Any who dare touch the Arisen shall taste my steel!”_

….

 

or occasionally just plain strange,

_“I am more familiar with the quest now, follow me Arisen!”_

_“Okay….Steve?”_

_“Yes, Master.”_

_“I can’t follow if you don’t lead.”_

….

he was still the best person Tony had ever known and what else could he do but fall for the blond heartwarmer?

Tony grew up with distant parents and as weapon crafting being his one notable strength but in a fishing village so small there was little call for his genius and until the dragon came there was nothing special about Tony at all. He was an introvert with little to no grasp on his own emotions and tended to lean on sarcasm as a weapon as sharp as his blades. Until the dragon came, Tony was just Tony.

To be truthful, most would probably consider being attacked by a dragon and having their heart stolen by said beast to be the most horrible thing that could happen to them. For Tony, it was actually the most interesting. Though, to be fair, the missing heart was rather disturbing. Besides, if it hadn’t happened Tony would never have met Steve and that was well worth it to him.

Even if the glory of having someone that perfect so close could hurt just as much as it warmed his soul. For, even though Tony loved Steve, the pawn would never love him in return. They weren’t actually capable of it, as far as he knew. Pawns were loyal to the Arisen and would defend them to their discorporation but they weren’t capable of emotions as deep as those felt by humans.

Tony chose Steve but Steve did not choose Tony, he was just stuck with him as the Arisen by circumstance, nothing more. Steve took care of and looked after Tony because it was his obligation and his duty and that’s all there was to it.

“Master?”

Tony, dragged from his thoughts by that deep voice, looked up from his daggers and nodded at Steve, who held two plates of food from the lodge kitchen. Steve set one plate in front of Tony and kept the other for himself, already having learned that Tony won’t remember to eat unless there was someone around to remind him. Tony gave a put upon sigh but accepted the food and ate with one hand while the other still worked the whetstone over the blade of his left snagdagger.

They ate comfortably with each other, Tony rambling on occasionally with whatever thoughts that popped into his head and Steve listening or replying as needed. Eventually, their food was finished and Tony turned his attention to his arrows, reworking the fletching on some as Steve gathered his shield for maintenance. As he worked, Tony’s mind drifted, as if often did and he began planning for their next quest, working through details. After a short while, Steve once more broken into his thoughts with a soft query about them and Tony shrugged dismissively.

“You’re thinking of tomorrow’s quest.” Steve stated, one brow lifted as if daring his Master to argue.

“Yeah, well, just trying to plan ahead. Max didn’t have many details to give us about what condition the stronghold was in.”

There was a quiet moment before Steve spoke, somewhat hesitantly. “I am not altogether sure he would have told us even had he known.”

Tony couldn’t help his snort, “He’s the duke’s Commander, Steve, why would he not?”

“I don’t know, I just do not trust him." He sounded more defiant with those words then a moment ago, as if offended by Tony’s apparent disbelief.

"Really? He seemed right up your alley to me. Dedicated and noble and all that." Tony responded absently, twisting copper wire around the base of an explosive arrow head and firmly anchoring it to a wooden shaft. He was so focused on his work he didn't notice Steve's less than pleased expression.

"Perhaps. I simply do not think he is appropriately devoted to you."

That gave Tony pause and he looked up. "Steve. Normal people don't have to be ‘devoted’ to me at all. Besides, he was perfectly respectful so I’m not sure what’s got you so upset with Max.”

“His name is Ser Maximilian.” Steve said somewhat sharply. “You really ought to just call him that. Not by a...nickname.”

A little thrown by his pawn’s sudden vehemence, Tony gave a shrug, “Blah, his name is too long. Besides, I’m not stupid enough to call the Duke’s Commander by anything other than his title. To his face anyway.” Seeing that Steve looked no more mollified then when this conversation started, he sighed.

“What is it exactly about him that has you so tied up in knots?”

Steve averted his eyes and set his jaw, looking as if he wasn’t going to answer for a moment. “I just...don’t like how he looks at you.” The pawn muttered finally.

Tony frowned. “What? How do you mean?”

“He looks at you like he wants to...I mean, it’s just indecent. It’s not properly respectful.” Steve uncertain in speech was not something Tony had seen from him yet and gave the Arisen cause to set his work down and think. Steve thought that Maximilian looked at him in a way that was indecent so did that mean...no way.

“Do you think he was hitting on me? Because that’s insane, I would have noticed.”

Steve gave Tony a long doubtful look. “Not propositioning you, not yet but he appeared to consider it for too long a moment. And no offense, Master, but you didn’t notice Barnaby’s affections either.”

Barnaby? Sure the other pawn had been a little hero-worshipful but no more than any of the other pawns they’d run across in their travels. Tony said as much and Steve grimaced slightly.

“Yes, well...I didn’t want to say anything. T’was hardly my place. Many pawns would do close to anything to be in my place at your side.”

Tony scoffed and leaned over the table of the Inn, pointing at Steve’s chest. “I chose you, Steve. I entered the Rift and picked you as my main pawn, nothing anyone says or does can change that. I don’t want any other but you.” Exasperated that he even had to say something that should have been obvious, Tony leaned back again and stared at Steve, eyes narrowed.

Thankfully, the set of his pawn’s shoulders eased some and a small smile softened his features. “I thank you for saying as much, Master.”

“One day, I will get you to drop that annoying title.” Tony huffed, picking up another arrow to put together, turning his attention away once more.

“Not a chance, Arisen.”


End file.
